Ruff

Key information

The ruff is a medium-sized wading bird. It has a long neck, a small head, a rather short slightly droopy bill and medium-long orange or reddish leg. In flight it shows a faint wing-stripe and oval white patches either side of the tail.

It breeds in a very few lowland sites in eastern England and it appears numbers are dropping. It is a migrant but in the UK some birds are present all year round. Many young birds from Scandinavia visit the UK in late summer, then migrating on to Africa. It is listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

What they eat:

Insects, larvae, frogs, small fish, seeds.

Measurements:

Length:

20-32 cm

Wingspan:

46-58cm

Weight:

70-150 g

Population:

UK breeding:

0-11 females

UK wintering:

820 birds

Identifying features:

This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.

Ruff (male summer plumage)

Feather colour:
BlackBrownCream/buffGreyOrangeWhite

Leg colour:
OrangePinkYellow

Beak:
BrownOrangeLongCurvedMedium thickness

Natural habitats:
FarmlandGrasslandWetland

Ruff (female)

Feather colour:
BlackBrownCream/buffGreyWhite

Leg colour:
OrangePinkYellow

Beak:
BlackLongCurvedMedium thickness

Natural habitats:
FarmlandGrasslandWetland

Similar birds:

Where and when to see them

Ruffs are best looked for on passage in spring and autumn in suitable habitat, particularly on the east and south coasts of the UK. Some birds overwinter, generally near the coast. Try some of the RSPB coastal wetland reserves, where there are lagoons, such as Titchwell, Norfolk.

* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.